“Thank you for staying and letting us rest,” Chase said once I started to put my shoes on.
“It was my pleasure. I need to wake up my little sleeping angels, or they won’t go to bed tonight.” I saw the smile on Gray’s face and realized I’d referred to Lucas and Lily as mine. It seemed natural and right to me, and I didn’t second guess my words. “Vanessa is staying with us tonight so Miller and I can go on a date.”
“I hope you guys have a great time,” Chase said as he walked us to the door. “I’m so happy for you, JJ. I’m proud of you too. I’m glad everyone else is getting to see the guy I’ve known all these years.” This time his hug was not accompanied by a snarling growl from his husband. All that was behind us as we both built our new lives with our families.
“Thanks for never giving up on me, Chase. Your friendship was a lifesaver, and I mean that.”
We still beat Miller and Vanessa back to our house but not by much. The kids were so excited to see her that they talked over one another to try to speak to her. I used the distraction to lead Miller upstairs so he could talk to me. I felt tension rolling off him in waves. He shivered beside me as we entered the bedroom, so I guided him to the bathroom where we could take a hot shower together.
Once under the spray, I began rubbing the tight muscles in his shoulders, back, and arms. I knew he was struggling to keep it together, but I didn’t think holding it in was the answer. I turned Miller around and wrapped myself around him. All the pain he had felt being in Darryl and Destiny’s house released in a torrent of tears.
“We don’t have to go out tonight, Bones. We can stay in and take it easy.” I rubbed my hands up and down his back while he rested against me.
“Darryl wouldn’t want me hiding from life and giving in to my sadness that he’s gone. He’d want me to enjoy every damn second I have on this great big rock. We’re going out tonight, Jag. You gave me exactly what I needed just like you always do. I want to go out to dinner with you and maybe catch a movie or make out in our new ride.”
“I, um, kind of planned something for seven o’clock, but it probably won’t take long. We can eat dinner before my surprise, then catch a movie afterward if you want. I shouldn’t have made these plans tonight. I should’ve known today would be difficult for you. I’ll reschedule the surprise.” My sudden case of nerves had me prattling on and on until Miller’s laughter penetrated my mind.
“Whoa, you’re really wound up about this surprise.” Miller shook his head slightly. “Don’t you know by now that I’ll love anything you give me? Whatever you have planned will be exactly what I need.”
Our evening started at Gruff’s, our favorite steak and seafood restaurant. We agreed that date nights meant we talked about things besides the kids. As much as our world now revolved around them, it didn’t mean they had to occupy our thoughts and discussions twenty-four seven. Our conversation never lulled because we had so many common interests. I knew nothing about archeology and anthropology, but I loved to hear his passion for his job. He listened just as raptly to me talk about my job and my hope for much needed changes to assure all people were equal in the eyes of the law.
We skipped dessert to make our surprise on time. Miller looked at me oddly when I pulled into a coffee shop. I turned the car off and removed my seat belt. “There’s your surprise,” I said, pointing to the tall blonde standing next to her SUV.
“She’s really pretty, Jag, but she’s not my type.” He looked into my eyes and smiled wickedly. “I like them tall, dark, handsome, and with a cock.” He reached over and slid his hands between my thighs. “You’re my type.”
“You don’t recognize her, Bones?”
“Of course I do. She’s that real estate agent with the billboards all over the place. She looks pretty and nice, but I bet she’s a real tiger. We better watch our wallets,” he said as he slipped off his seat belt. “It’s freezing out here, and she’s standing there like it’s no big deal. Ice in her veins, Jag. Don’t fall for her telling you there are multiple offers on the place just so we offer more money. Don’t look her in the eyes, or you’ll be buying a house before you know what hit you.”
“That’s the plan.” I leaned over and kissed him softly. “Come on, Bones. I’ll protect you from the scary realtor.”
Cynthia greeted us with a kind smile and ushered us into her warm SUV so she could take us over to look at the house Miller and I both felt was perfect for our family. She kept the conversation light and friendly while she drove us over to the house. Contrary to what Miller said, I didn’t get the impression Cynthia was a high-pressure salesperson. Her reputation was that of an agent who listened to what you wanted and worked very hard to find the perfect home for her clients. That was why I’d chosen her, even though she was not the listing agent for the property. Cynthia greeted the attendant at the gate by name, and it was obvious she spent a lot of time there.
“Wow,” I said as we pulled up to the house. “It’s even better in person.”
“I know, right?” Cynthia sounded as happy as I did. “Wait until you see the interior. If you’re serious about the house, you’ll want to make an offer quick because it won’t stay on the market for long.”
Miller elbowed me lightly in the ribs and widened his eyes as if to say he told me so. “Don’t sound so overeager,” he warned between gritted teeth, drawing a laugh from both Cynthia and me.
“You guys are too damn cute,” she said. “I’m going to unlock the door and let you look around on your own. It’s vacant right now, so you can take your time and check it out to make sure this is your forever home.” She looked back at Miller before she got out of the car. “I don’t have the place wired for sound, so it’s okay if you show your excitement inside the house. It will be your secret,” she said, gesturing back and forth between Miller and me. “I’ll also let you in on a little secret. I think you could offer the sellers thirty-five thousand dollars less, and they’d accept your offer. As wonderful as this home is, it’s overpriced, and their listing agent knows it.”
Miller turned a little pink over being called out, but I laughed my ass off. I’d definitely be buying a house from Cynthia, even if it wasn’t this one. I nudged him and nodded my head in the direction of the front door. “Let’s go check it out, Bones.”
True to her word, Cynthia unlocked the door and let us in, then returned to her SUV. We took our time looking at every room. We didn’t say much because we were overwhelmed with the rightness of the space. There wasn’t a single space I couldn’t see us in, and if that didn’t mean this was our place, I didn’t know what did.
Our private tour ended in the third-floor bonus area I’d referred to as the media room. I could easily see the four of us sitting on the couch, watching our favorite movies while eating popcorn. Miller and I turned and faced each other at the same time. The emotion I saw in his eyes matched the feelings inside me that had my heart thumping wildly in my chest.
“Let’s go tell Cynthia we’ve found our forever home,” Miller said to me before he pressed his lips to mine to seal the deal.
Miller
The month of February rolled over our lives like a hurricane, and the result was a scattered mess, but unlike with a hurricane, it was a beautiful mess. Jag and I were approved for our loan to buy the house together. We listed our individual homes and both received offers within days of Cynthia putting them on the market. We had two houses to box up and figure out what we were keeping and what we were donating to Habitat for Humanity with very little time to do it.
Lucas and Lily had already picked out their rooms in the new house and were so excited about moving. I let them decide if they wanted to get new furniture for their bedrooms or keep the stuff they had from the house they’d lived in with Darryl and Destiny. I didn’t want to guess their feelings or make the wrong decision. They chose to keep the furniture their parents had chosen for them, and I found that comforting.
Throughout all the chaos, and with Chloe’s help, we found a schedule that worked for our family. I only had a late lecture once a week, and Jag made sure he was home by five thirty on those nights. We enrolled both kids in classes at the YMCA so they could learn new things. Lily had chosen gymnastics, and Lucas wanted to swim. Sometimes we took them separately, but mostly we all went as a family. Lucas and Lily seemed to enjoy cheering each other on, and I felt like it brought us all closer.
I caught the ladies and a few of the dads sizing up Jag like he was some hot mountain they wanted to climb on several occasions. I would just sit there smugly because only I got to climb Mount Jag, and I did so at every opportunity. I too had started some stress-relieving activities like running, weightlifting, and even coloring with the kids. I discovered some amazing coloring books for adults at the bookstore when we’d taken the kids shopping. As much as those activities helped, nothing could ever make me feel as good as Jag. His hands, his mouth, and his magic cock melted my stress away like nothing else.
